James sl mzlles



J. M. MILLER.

MEANS FOR VAPORIZING LIQUID FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 3.19M.

1,310,245, Patented July 15, 1919.

ihzd frkw/z rial in use,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

nuns n. III-nun, orwnsnme ron, nisraro'r or common m8 I93 VAPOBIZIN'G LIQUID FUEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

application as m e, um. Serial No. 178,469.

method of and means for vaporizing liquid fuel for s engines, whereby to sub ect the fuel to t e direct heat efiect of the exhaust gases, to convertsaid fuel into a thermal vapor prior to the admission of air-to provide' the necessary mixture. 4

It has been heretofore proposed to heat the fuel by the exhaust this hasbeen accomplishedb heating the air rior to its ixture Witht e fuel, which metliod results in a sprav condition of the fuel in the inlet mani old, It is important, particularly with the low gradeof fuellmateeliminated, and as possiblebe produced from the fuel. 'Furthermore it is'of importance that this change in the condition of the fuel "should occur prior to the mixture of the air therewith, as the mixture of the an and a thermal vapor is more readily and intimately secured, than the mixture of the air with a spray condition of the fuel. a

The main object of thepresent invention therefore, is the rovision of means whereby the fuel, through' the heat'from the exhaust gases, is converted into a :thennal A vapor, prior to forming purposes. I

In carrying out this object, the inlet manifold and Venturi tube are arranged wholly within the exhaust manifold, 'whlle the fuel chamber is arranged at one'side of; exhaust manifold and connectedtotheYenturi tube by a conduit, or vaporizin which between the fuelchamber and eats extends through the ex fuel in its passe subjected to the reel: action of theheat of the exhaust gases, with the efiect to eonvert through the conduit' into a the fuel passing a thermalvapor, which is delivered as such through the valve-cogtrolled" an a ispmn duit 1n the Venturif mixed with air topi'ovide the desired mixture.

The invention further contemplates the provision of means whereby auxi iary fuel,

District of Columbia, have infuels, to permit their ases, but ordinarily that the condition be;

that as'near athermal'vapor the admission ,ofair. for, mixture- 1 fold, exoep set 6, o

or gas of any appropriate character, may be introduced Into the said conduit, adjacent its entrant end, a manually-operable valve controlling both the ordinary and auxiliary use in mixed proportions, or either alone, at the will of the driver. This rovides for the use of kerosene, or the li e. The disadvantages "'ncident to the use of these fuels at present is entirely overcome in the present invention by the method herein disclosed of converting such fuels into thermal vapor.

The invention in the, preferred form is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: V

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an engine with the improved vaporizer in applied position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the vaporizing means.

The present means contemplates the delive of the fuel from the fuel chamber or the like, to a conduit of appreciable length, hereinafter termed the vaporizing tube, and the deliver of the fuel from one end of this tube direct y to the Venturi tube, with the said vaporlzmg tube and Venturi tube subjected at all times to the heat of the exhaust gases, the air bein admitted for mixing purposes only following the exit of the vapor rom the vaporizing tube.

The preferred form of means for securing the result and carrying out the method is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

.ed to the section 2, wherebythe sections 2 h and 3 are in open communication.

ma mired, ree. through this-conduit is the exhaust manifold, being spaced from the walls of the exhaust manit in the connections between the inlet manifold and the intake ports of the on no, which connections pass through one we 1 of the exhaust manifold.

Theinlet manifold 5,.has adependin oil'- which is removably connected the Venturi tube 7, The Venturi tube extends transverse thesection 3 of the exhaust manifold, and thro h an o hing 8 in one wall of the section. e on of the Venturi tube entirely 2 and 3, the section 2 being in open thus opens to the atmosphere, and may, if desired, be rovided with an automatically controlled air inlet, here shown as a. conical member 9 having a, series of air passages 10 opening therethrough, the assages being of different sizes and normal closed by balls 11, each of a size appropriate for the particular pa$age As the balls differ in weight, the particular passage or assages will be opened in accordance with t e suction of the engine thus automatically controlling the air. i ny desired means, such as a screen bafile 10 may be used to retain the balls in the passages 10. p

The fuel chamber comprises a receptacle 12, having projected from one end thereof an annular interiorly threaded collar 13 adapted to be threaded onto the open end of the section 3 of the exhaust manifold, remote from the mufller end of such section. The receptacle thus acts to close this end of the exhaust manifold and such chamber or receptacle is divided by a. vertical partition 14, into a fuel chamber 15 and what may be termed a valve chamber 16. Arranged within the fuel chamber is a float 17, of any usual or preferred t pe, mounted and connected to control a nee le valve 18, which governs the liquid fuel supply through the su ply pipe 19, all of whicll egarts are or may be of any usual or prefer construction".

Arranged within the valve chamber 16 is a valve casin 20, having a port 21 leadin from the fue chamber 15, and an elongate conduit or vaporizing tube 22, which extends to and through one wall of the Venturi tube 7 opening within said tube. The vaporizing tube is preferably in line with the port 21, and inclines upwardl from the valve casing to the Venturi tube, t e exit end of said conduit being governed by a needle valve 23, preferabl controlled and adjusted from the dash of t e vehicle through any appropriate means, as indicated at 24. Arranged within the valve casing 20 is a valve 25, operated through a lever 26, which may and referably does have a control connection cading; to andthrough the dash of the vehicle. T e valve is formed with a pamage 27, which in a I redeterinined position of the valve establi es communication between the port 21 and the vaporizing tube 22, to therey admit the fuel to said tube.

The use of auxiliary fuel is contemplated, as such is readily capable of use through the means here described.v Provision is made for such auxiliary fuel by leading an auxiliary fuel. supply pipe 28, from any source into the va ve casing 20, and forming in the valve 25 an additional port or passage 29, to establish communication between said auxiliary fuel supply ipe and the vaporizing tube. The in et en s ofthe respective passages 27 and 29 are referabl' so disposed that in one position of the va ve, saidinlet ends will partly register with the port 21 and with t e auxiliary fuel supply 1pc the outlet ends, in this position of the va ve, both partl registering with the vaporizing tube 22. Therefore the valve ma be ad usted, through manipulation of the ever 26, to deliver either fuel alone to the va orizin tube, amixture of both, or out oifde ivery 0 both. This provides for four distinct positions of the valve 25, and the operating means, if desired may be suitably marked to indicate these positions.

It will be noted that the vaporizing tube inclines u wardly, terminating slightly above the oat-controlled height of the fuel in the chamber '15, so that when the engine is at rest the vaporizing tube ispractically filled with fuel, when the valve is open, to form an initial priming or starting charge. Furthermore the valve chamber 16, which may or may not be open to the atmosphere, acts as an air-insulating space, to prevent the heat from the exhaust manifold from undul heatin the fuel in the chamber 15, thoug it is o vious that the conductivity of the metals will maintain the fuel in the chamber 15 at a suflicient heat d ree, to render its conversion into a thenni il vapor in the vaporizing tube, more readily effected, than if said fuel was at normal tem- I perature.

It is to be particularly noted that the vaporizing tube 22 is of appreciable length, and that the raw fuel,-without the mixture of air, is subjected durin its passage lengthwise this tube, to the gill heat of the exhaust ases, so that the fuel is delivered into the enturi tube as a thermal vapor, and is at this point, and for the first time, mingled with air to form the proper mixture. The heated conditionof the mixture is maintained, as-the'Venturi tube and iiitake manifold are at all times surrounded by and subjected to the direct action ofthe heat of the exhaust gases.

I claim; 1. A gas generator for internal combustion engines, comprising anelongate casing adapted to be secured along the sideqf an engine, a chamber de ending fromv and in open communication with the casing, said chamber being extended lgiterally, a Venturi tube arranged in said chamber and openin to the atmosphere beyond the same,

and a uel duct inclining upwardly from a source of fuel su ply and opening into the Venturi tube, sa-i fuel duct being arran ed within the lateral extensionof' the chain r.

2. A gas generator for intlernal combustion en nos, comprising an e ongate casing adapter? to be secured along the side of an engine and open to the exhaust thereof, a chamber depending from the casin and in open communication therewith, said chamber having a lateral extension, :1 Venturi tube arranged in said chamber and opening to the atmosphere beyond the same, a fuel receptacle carried by the lateral extension of the chamber, and a fuel duct of comparatively minute bore arranged in the lateral extension of the chamber and connecting the fuel receptacle and Venturi tube.

3. A gas generator for internal combustion engines, comprising a chamber open to the exhaust gases, an intake manifold arranged in a portion of such chamber, a. Venturi tube arranged in another portion of such chamber and communicating with the atmosphere beyond the chamber, a float chamber carried by said first mentioned chamber, and a fuel duct extendin through a portion of said first mentione chamber and extending upwardly from the float chamber to and opening within the Venturi tube.

4. A gas generator for internal combustion engines. comprising an exhaust gas chamber, an intake manifold arranged in a portion of such chamber, a Venturi tube arranged in another portion of such exhaust chamber and opening to the atmosphere beyond such chamber, a float chamber carried by said exhaust chamber, and a fuel duct inclining upwardly from the float chamber and opening within the Venturi tube, said fuel duct being arranged for substantially its full length in a portion of such exhaust gas chamber, and opening within the Venturi tube at approximately the normal level of the fuel in the float chamber.

5. A gas generator for internal combustion engines, comprising an exhaust gas chamber, an intake manifold arranged in a portion of such chamber, a Venturi tube arranged in another portion of such chamber, a float chamber carried by another portion of such exhaust gas chamber, an upwardly inclined fuel duct arranged in another portion of such exhaust gas chamber and establishing communication between the float chamber and the Venturi tube, and a valve controlling fuel admission to such fuel duct.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature.

JAMES M. MILLER. 

